1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to an LCD handler for testing an LCD panel, and more particularly, to an LCD handler including a system for transferring an LCD panel from a cassette to a test site, and a system for pre-aligning the LCD panel during a transfer process.
2. Background of the Related Art
The LCD handler automatically transfers the LCD panels to a test site for testing the LCD panels to determine if they are defective or not, and sorts and stacks the LCD panels in respective cassettes as xe2x80x9cgoodxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9crepairxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9crejectxe2x80x9d upon completion of the test. A system and operation of a related art LCD handler will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art LCD handler is provided with: (1) a cassette 2 for storing the LCD panels passed through the test and the LCD panels to be tested, in separate parts thereof; (2) a transfer robot 8 either for picking up the LCD panel to be tested from the cassette, or for inserting the LCD panel passed through the test into a slot (a storage space), in the cassette 2; (3) a test site 3 for testing the LCD panel transferred from the cassette by the transfer robot for defects; and (4) a transfer board 7 adapted to move between the transfer robot 8 and the test site 3 either for delivering the LCD panel passed through the test at the test site to the transfer robot 8 or for receiving the LCD panel to be tested from the transfer robot 8 and delivering the LCD panel to the test site 3. Particularly, the test site 3 is mounted oil a body 4 of the LCD handler to face forward, and there are first and second aligners 5 and 6 mounted on both sides of the body 4 to permit lateral movement to respective test sites for pre-aligning the LCD panel for loading the LCD panel to an exact test position.
Upon receiving the LCD panel to be tested from inside of the cassette 2 transferred in a horizontal direction by the transfer robot 8, the transfer board 7 takes the LCD panel, rises up to a top dead point where the first aligner 5 is disposed, rotates in conformity with a slope of the first aligner 5, and places the LCD panel on the first aligner 5. Then, the first aligner 5 aligns the LCD panel by using a visual camera 9 mounted to the first aligner 5. That is, the first aligner 5 aligns the LCD panel by comparing coordinates of an align mark in the LCD panel read by the visual camera 9 to preset coordinates. Upon completion of the alignment of the LCD panel at the first aligner 5, the first aligner 5 moves in a horizontal direction toward the test site 3, with the LCD panel mounted thereon. When the LCD panel arrives in front of the test site 3, the LCD panel is electrically connected to a signal applying part (not shown) in the test site 3, to conduct electrical test(s) of the LCD panel. If there is a tested LCD panel on the second aligner 6 while the LCD panel loaded to the test site by the first aligner 5 is being tested, the second aligner 6 moves away from the test site 3 to a standby position on the right side of FIG. 1, passes the tested LCD panel to the transfer robot 8, so that the transfer robot 8 transfers the LCD panel to an appropriate cassette 2 selected based on the result of the test conducted earlier at the test site 3. Then, the second aligner 6 aligns a new LCD panel supplied by the transfer robot 8, and stands by until testing of the LCD panel on the first aligner 5 is finished. When the first aligner 5 moves in a left direction in FIG. 1 after the LCD panel on the first aligner 5 is tested, the second aligner 6 moves to the test site for testing the new LCD panel on the second aligner. And, as explained before, while the LCD panel on the second aligner 6 is being tested at the test site 3, the tested LCD panel is unloaded from the first aligner 5 by the transfer robot, and loaded onto an appropriate cassette based upon the result of the earlier conducted test. Subsequently, the first aligner 5 receives a new LCD panel from the transfer robot 8, aligns the new LCD panel, and, after the alignment is complete, the first aligner 5 stands by until testing of the LCD panel on the second aligner 6 is finished. The related art LCD handler conducts the foregoing operation repeatedly until testing is complete.
The related art LCD handler has the following problems caused by structural characteristics of the LCD) handler. The expensive visual cameras 3 on the first and second aligners 5, 6 of the related art LCD handler renders the LCD handler expensive. Additionally, the alternating movements of the bulky and heavy first and second aligners 5, 6 in the loading of the LCD panels to the test site so as to connect the LCD panel to the signal applying part in the test site consumes a large amount of power. Moreover, the complicated system required for moving the first and second aligners 5, 6 renders the entire system of the LCD handler complicated, deteriorates the accuracy of the operation, causes a high frequency of troubles, and deteriorates the reliability of the handler. That is, the large sized first and second aligners 5, 6 require a high power for transferring the first and second aligners 5, 6, and the complicated system for moving the aligners 5, 6 reduces device operation accuracy, which increases the frequency of problems, and prolongs repair time. Furthermore, the space required for lateral movement of the aligners is large.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, an LCD handler is disclosed which includes a body having a test site for testing an LCD panel; feeding/recovering sites on both sides of the test site for feeding and recovering the LCD panel; a pre-aligner in the body for aligning the LCD panel and feeding the aligned LCD panel to the feeding/recovering site after alignment of the LCD panel; a carrier for carrying the LCD panel fed to the feeding/recovering site by the pre-aligner to the test site; and driving means for moving the carrier in a lateral direction of the body.